


Any Other Night, Any Other Show

by prettydamnlame



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Blood, Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-10-13 14:29:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10515633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prettydamnlame/pseuds/prettydamnlame
Summary: The night, this show, it goes wrong. From Josh’s point of view.





	

Drumming madly, Josh is focused on matching Tyler’s intensity as the singer begins to sprint across stage. Just like any other night, any other show, his best friend is gathering enough momentum to launch himself over the piano adjacent to Josh’s kit.

Only this night, this show, he doesn’t.

The crowd, thousands of people inside a cavernous stadium, falls deathly silent, peppered by a few distressed cries and then a low, steady hum of concern.

Suddenly there’s crew all over the stage, and Josh thinks dimly, _this isn’t right, it’s only he and Tyler on stage, it’s their show,_

Then Jenna’s running, running straight past his drum kit, her voice high and shrill like he’s never heard it before –

_She’s leaning over something on stage, just behind the piano, out of view of most of the crowd but definitely not moving,_

_And oh God, it’s Tyler, it’s Tyler that’s not moving, something’s wrong, he’s tripped, he’s not moving, and he’s never not moving, there’s not enough Red Bull in the world to bribe Tyler to stop moving even for a second, why isn’t he moving,_

Josh’s whole body is freezing, locking up, moving like an automaton toward Tyler and Jenna. Paramedics are there now, too.

_Why isn’t he moving, why why why, the word gurgles out of his mouth like he’s a baby,_

The paramedics are leaning over his best friend and there’s blood and Tyler’s jaw looks all wrong and Jenna’s weeping and Josh is still confused.

He kneels down, wraps a hand around his best friend’s elbow. Rubs at the soft skin in the crook of his arm.

“Please don’t touch the patient, sir,” one of the paramedics says tersely.

“He’s not hurting him!” Jenna snaps tearfully in reply.

“Ma’am, you need to let us work,” the other paramedic insists a little more kindly, but still authoritatively, and that’s when Josh realises it’s bad.

_Jordan’s here._

Jordan’s behind him, whispering in his ear. **You need to close the show, you need to tell them what’s happened. They’re worried.**

His brother was right: the drummer could hear that the low murmur of concern from earlier had transformed into insistent chatter punctuated with loud cries of enquiry.

Jordan’s touching his shoulder lightly. Josh looks over at his little brother: his eyes are wide, the way they only get when he’s scared.

**If you don’t want to, someone else can do it, but…**

Tyler’s being moved carefully, ever so carefully, onto a stretcher, and Jenna’s eyes are glued on her husband.

Josh forces himself to look away – _why isn’t he moving, why why why_ – he looks back to Jordan. He nods. He needs to do it. It’s what Tyler would do.

Josh’s frozen body stumbles out from behind the piano and approaches the front of the stage.

He raises the microphone that was clasped in his bandmate’s hand not a full minute earlier.

“I’m sorry everyone… Tyler’s had an accident. I can’t… ” the drummer’s voice wavers, and he hates himself instantly.

_Need to be strong for them,_

Josh bites the inside of his mouth sharply before continuing: “We only play together. We can’t finish the show tonight without both of us being here. I’m sorry.”

Josh raises his hand fleetingly to the entire arena before stumbling off stage.

Following the paramedics and Jenna, Josh’s feet are propelling him along without any input from his brain.

Jenna realises he’s right behind her and she grabs his hand tightly. Her eyes are bloodshot.

They’re at the ambulance now, sirens blaring and lights flashing before they’ve even left the underground of the stadium. The paramedics are rolling the gurney into the emergency services vehicle.

Something's squeezing Josh's heart like a vice and his body is still frozen. Following Jenna blindly, the drummer goes to get into the back of the ambulance.

The paramedic puts a hand to his chest, stopping him. “Family only, sir.”

Josh’s mouth opens, every muscle in his face gone slack. The paramedic may as well have punched him.

Jenna’s standing in the back of the ambulance then, a petite tornado of fury, her face a streaky, red mask of distress, and she’s pointing at Josh. **He’s family, he’s family. Get him in here. We’re not going without him. Tyler’s not going anywhere without him. Get him in here, he’s family.**

Josh is helped into the back of the ambulance by the paramedic who had moments ago attempted to deny him.

The doors slam behind him, the sirens peal even louder and the ambulance begins to move at speed.

Jenna’s weeping again, her hands on Tyler’s chest like her touch alone could heal him.

Josh falls to the floor of the ambulance, the last of his strength finally deserting him. The drummer crawls on his hands and knees to the gurney that his best friend is strapped to.

Pulls himself as close to his best friend’s body as possible.

_Tyler’s not moving, why isn’t he moving._

**Author's Note:**

> I saw them live for the first time Friday night in Melbourne. I held my breath each time Tyler jumped.


End file.
